Marvin had told her if she attracted any attention to her while she was in the room, he would come up there and beat her. He checked on her constantly during the day, but at night she knew he was with Lynne. Most times he could hear them together. In a way, she almost thought her mother was becoming a prisoner in the house just like she had been, but he needed Lynne in order to get to the money he wanted when they sold Nanna's business.

In two weeks, Mr. Mills would be paying a visit to the Laundromat to look it over and to sign the papers. He had insisted on meeting at the Laundromat even though Lynne had tried to convince him to meet at Mills' offices. If she got out in time and contacted him then there was a chance of saving the business. Whatever her mother had used to entice, Mr. Mills to buy the business, she would have to find a way to get him not to buy it.

Right now she had to work on her present objective and get out of there.

Cold rain practically froze her limbs to the bone, but she made it to the Cleo's street and knocked on the door. She knew Cleo would be home because she had heard that they'd switched Cleo to the afternoon shift and another girl worked the evening, but she had walked by the Laundromat to be sure looking for Cleo's car.